2008 Volkswagen Beetle

About This Vehicle
Model strengths:
Styling; safety features; front-seat comfort; ride.

Model changes:
Volkswagen added a new trim to the 2008 New Beetle lineup and renamed the base trim the S. The SE trim is a mid-range offering, and it includes a number of desirable items, most notably 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a sunroof on the coupe. The Triple White Beetle is no longer orderable on the convertible, but it is newly available on the coupe.

Model value:
The distinctive Volkswagen New Beetle coupe is no longer a fresh face for 2008, but it still stands out for its spacious front seating, pleasant ride, and abundance of safety features. The convertible is also one of the most affordable drop-tops, and it boasts a very high level of refinement.

The stylish 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle is available in S and SE trims, while the coupe is now available in Triple White as well. All New Beetles have a 150-horsepower 2.5L inline five-cylinder engine that is hooked up to a five-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic with Tiptronic. With the manual transmission, the Beetle is quite frugal, with an estimated 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway.

New Beetles have a number of standard safety features, including front-seat head/thorax side air bags, anti-lock brakes, and the electronic stabilization program with anti-slip regulation. The New Beetle convertible has a three-layer cloth soft top with a heated rear glass window. Convertibles also add the active rollover support system, which quickly deploys two spring-loaded posts behind the rear-seat headrests to add safety in a rollover situation.

Standard features on all New Beetles include height-adjustable front seats, a telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, air conditioning, a six-speaker MP3-compatible sound system, and power windows, locks, and mirrors. All convertibles also include Sirius satellite radio.

The SE trim is only available with the six-speed, and it adds 17-inch alloy wheels, heated washer nozzles, upgraded seats, front floor mats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. On the coupe, the SE trim also includes a power sunroof and Sirius satellite radio, while the convertible SE has a semi-automatic roof system with a wind blocker for reduced highway turbulence. A new Triple White color scheme is available on SE coupes for 2008.

Options on the New Beetle are limited for this model year, with heated seats being the only available factory add-on of note.